---
title: "Sirach 51 – Catholic Bible (CPDV) & Latin Vulgate · Bless"
url: https://blessbible.app/bible/sirach/51/
description: "A prayer of praise and thanksgiving. Sirach 51 in the Catholic Public Domain Version, with the Latin Vulgate."
---

# Sirach 51

Sirach 51 is chapter 51 of 51 in the Book of Sirach. Here are all 38 verses in the Catholic Public Domain Version, with the Latin of the Clementine Vulgate beside them.

> A prayer of praise and thanksgiving.
>
> — Bp. Richard Challoner, chapter summary

## Sirach 51 (Catholic Public Domain Version)

1. The prayer of Jesus, the son of Sirach: I will confess to you, O Lord and King, and I will give praise to you, O God my Savior.
2. I will acknowledge your name. For you have been my Helper and Protector.
3. And you have freed my body from perdition, from the snare of the iniquitous tongue, and from the lips of those who forge lies. And you have been my Helper in the sight of those who stood nearby.
4. And you have freed me according to the multitude of the mercy of your name: from those who roared and prepared to devour,
5. from the hands of those who sought my life, and from the gates of tribulation that surrounded me,
6. from the oppression of the flames that surrounded me, and so I was not burned in the midst of the fire,
7. from the depths of the bowels of hell, and from the defiled tongue, and from lying words, from an iniquitous king, and from an unjust tongue.
8. My soul shall praise the Lord, even unto death.
9. For my life was drawing near to hell below.
10. And they surrounded me on every side. And there was no one who would help me. I looked around for the assistance of men, and there was none.
11. Then I remembered your mercy, O Lord, and your works, which are from the very beginning.
12. For you rescue those who persevere for you, O Lord, and you free them from the hands of the Gentiles.
13. You exalted my habitation upon the earth, and I made supplication that death would pass away.
14. I called upon the Lord, the Father of my Lord, so that he would not abandon me in the day of my tribulation, nor in the time of arrogance without assistance.
15. I will praise your name unceasingly, and I will praise it with thanksgiving, for my prayer was heeded.
16. And you freed me from perdition, and you rescued me from the time of iniquity.
17. Because of this, I will give thanks and praise to you, and I will bless the name of the Lord.
18. When I was still young, before I wandered astray, I sought wisdom openly in my prayer.
19. I asked for her before the temple, and even to the very end, I will inquire after her. And she flourished like a newly-ripened grape.
20. My heart rejoiced in her. My feet walked in the right path. From my youth, I pursued her.
21. I bent my ear a little and accepted her.
22. I found much wisdom within myself, and I benefited greatly by her.
23. I will give glory to him who gives wisdom to me.
24. For I have decided that I should act according to wisdom. I have been zealous for what is good, and so I will not be confounded.
25. My soul has struggled for wisdom, and in doing so, I have been confirmed.
26. I extended my hands on high, and I mourned my ignorance of her.
27. I directed my soul toward her, and I found her within knowledge.
28. From the beginning, I held my heart to wisdom. Because of this, I will not be forsaken.
29. My stomach was stirred up while seeking her. Because of her, I will hold a good possession.
30. The Lord has given me a tongue as my reward, and I will praise him with it.
31. Draw near to me, you who are untaught, and gather yourselves into the house of discipline.
32. Why are you reluctant? And what do you have to say about these things? Your souls are exceedingly thirsty!
33. I have opened my mouth, and I have spoken. Buy wisdom for yourselves without silver,
34. and subject your neck to her yoke, and let your soul accept her discipline. For she is close enough to be found.
35. See with your own eyes how I have labored only a little, and have found much rest for myself.
36. Take up discipline, as if it were a great sum of money, and possess an abundance of gold in her.
37. Let your soul rejoice in his mercy. For you will not be confounded by his praise.
38. Accomplish your work before the time. And he will give you your reward in his time.

## Sirach 51 in Latin (Clementine Vulgate, 1592)

1. Oratio Jesu filii Sirach. Confitebor tibi, Domine rex, et collaudabo te Deum salvatorem meum.
2. Confitebor nomini tuo, quoniam adjutor et protector factus es mihi,
3. et liberasti corpus meum a perditione: a laqueo linguæ iniquæ, et a labiis operantium mendacium: et in conspectu astantium factus es mihi adjutor.
4. Et liberasti me, secundum multitudinem misericordiæ nominis tui, a rugientibus præparatis ad escam:
5. de manibus quærentium animam meam, et de portis tribulationum quæ circumdederunt me;
6. a pressura flammæ quæ circumdedit me, et in medio ignis non sum æstuatus;
7. de altitudine ventris inferi, et a lingua coinquinata, et a verbo mendacii, a rege iniquo, et a lingua injusta.
8. Laudabit usque ad mortem anima mea Dominum,
9. et vita mea appropinquans erat in inferno deorsum.
10. Circumdederunt me undique, et non erat qui adjuvaret: respiciens eram ad adjutorium hominum, et non erat.
11. Memoratus sum misericordiæ tuæ Domine, et operationis tuæ, quæ a sæculo sunt:
12. quoniam eruis sustinentes te, Domine, et liberas eos de manibus gentium.
13. Exaltasti super terram habitationem meam, et pro morte defluente deprecatus sum.
14. Invocavi Dominum patrem Domini mei, ut non derelinquat me in die tribulationis meæ, et in tempore superborum, sine adjutorio.
15. Laudabo nomen tuum assidue, et collaudabo illud in confessione: et exaudita est oratio mea,
16. et liberasti me de perditione, et eripuisti me de tempore iniquo.
17. Propterea confitebor, et laudem dicam tibi, et benedicam nomini Domini.
18. Cum adhuc junior essem, priusquam oberrarem, quæsivi sapientiam palam in oratione mea.
19. Ante templum postulabam pro illis, et usque in novissimis inquiram eam: et effloruit tamquam præcox uva.
20. Lætatum est cor meum in ea: ambulavit pes meus iter rectum: a juventute mea investigabam eam.
21. Inclinavi modico aurem meam, et excepi illam.
22. Multam inveni in meipso sapientiam, et multum profeci in ea.
23. Danti mihi sapientiam dabo gloriam:
24. consiliatus sum enim ut facerem illam. Zelatus sum bonum, et non confundar.
25. Colluctata est anima mea in illa, et in faciendo eam confirmatus sum.
26. Manus meas extendi in altum, et insipientiam ejus luxi;
27. animam meam direxi ad illam, et in agnitione inveni eam.
28. Possedi cum ipsa cor ab initio: propter hoc, non derelinquar.
29. Venter meus conturbatus est quærendo illam: propterea bonam possidebo possessionem.
30. Dedit mihi Dominus linguam mercedem meam, et in ipsa laudabo eum.
31. Appropiate ad me, indocti, et congregate vos in domum disciplinæ.
32. Quid adhuc retardatis? et quid dicitis in his? animæ vestræ sitiunt vehementer.
33. Aperui os meum, et locutus sum: Comparate vobis sine argento,
34. et collum vestrum subjicite jugo: et suscipiat anima vestra disciplinam: in proximo est enim invenire eam.
35. Videte oculis vestris, quia modicum laboravi, et inveni mihi multam requiem.
36. Assumite disciplinam in multo numero argenti, et copiosum aurum possidete in ea.
37. Lætetur anima vestra in misericordia ejus, et non confundemini in laude ipsius.
38. Operamini opus vestrum ante tempus, et dabit vobis mercedem vestram in tempore suo.

## Read at Mass (US)

- Sat, May 29, 2027: Saturday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time — First Reading, Sirach 51:12cd-20

Citations as published in the USCCB liturgical calendar (principal Mass, first option).

Source: Catholic Public Domain Version (Ronald L. Conte Jr., 2009), public domain; Latin: Clementine Vulgate (1592).